Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

A wintry February day and an inspiring biker

Thursday February 27, 2013Site 49, Sebastian Inlet State Park

Thursday

The cold snap continues and so do the winds.

The birds are still waiting at the fish cleaning station but they are hunkered down and the fishermen are bundled up.

This is Florida’s version of winter.

In keeping with the winter theme, we decide we will have a hot breakfast today prepared by someone else. We head over to the Long Point Cafe. The bike parked out front catches our attention.

We get settled in and order. Then I look around for the bike owner. I spot him and go over to ask about the bike.

The bike belongs to the Tom Wood sitting alone against the wall. He is peddling it from Palm Beach Florida to Seattle Washington. He’s part of a long distance biking association which provides route information. Although he has MS he has planned this trip for a long time and says it will take him the rest of the year. I give him my card and ask that he let me know if he does a blog or anything so I can keep up with him. I admire his courage. MS is a difficult disease especially as regards having consistent energy.

I have to stop my conversation with Tom as my breakfast arrives. He goes back to his work.

We give Long Point Cafe two thumbs up. It’s a really nice local restaurant, very clean, reasonably priced and one of the VERY best breakfasts we’ve had in ages. We have a lot of breakfasts to compare this to over nearly 3 years on the road even though we seldom eat out more than twice a month. This is, of course, a non-vegan breakfast. Breakfast is our favorite meal to eat out and we look for an interesting breakfast place in the area of each park we are staying in for two weeks. If you are in this area, we recommend breakfast at Long Point Cafe.

After our great breakfast we take a spin through Long Point State Park to see their campground. They are across A1A from the ocean. Most of their sites are water front on the Indian River. The cost is about the same as the state park and you can stay up to 180 days. At the state park you are limited to 14 days at one time and 56 days total a year.

All those water front sites definitely have an appeal although I am so partial to Sebastian Inlet I just don’t know. We might give it a try for a week at some point just to see. Or if I can’t get into Sebastian which is likely the case if I don’t make a reservation a year in advance. It is a VERY popular state park.

It’s now after noon and time to head over to the beach where there is more wind and even fewer people and surfers than yesterday. Actually there is pretty much no one but us, the birds, one or two surfers in the water and this board stuck in the sand.

This gull shows how windy it is. So we don’t stay long. It’s probably our last time on this beach but I don’t say good-bye. Just ‘see you later’.

Too cloudy for sunrise this morning but the sunset makes up for it.

Tomorrow is our final day at Sebastian and we have lots of things to finish up.

I’ve heard from a reader that he isn’t getting the email notices. Is anyone else having that trouble? I guess if you are reading this then you aren’t, right? Or maybe you don’t rely on the email notices. I’ve taken that option off until I figure out if it is working. How do you choose to get notified about new posts on blogs you follow?

I know you have enjoyed your stay at Sebastian Inlet. Your pictures have said it all! Nice story about the biker...dreams and plans...sure hope you can find out his progress and share with us.

I have a blog list that rolls to the top when a new post is published. I can tell how long ago the new post was published in minutes, hours, day, etc. Hopefully I don't miss any that way! It was a gadget offered under the basic set up.

We too, admire these people that bike long distances, especially when they have a handicap in some form. We met two brothers in Mexico that were biking from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America. It took them a year to complete the trip and what amazing experiences they had.

We have stayed at Long Point...nice park in a nice location! Boy, the winds are blowing all over the state. We have stong winds over on the Naples side as well. They have a cool little island that is fun to explore:o)

ah another glorious day ... cold? wth ... loved the gull's ruffled feathers! HAhaa and Tom with MS riding a bike all the way from Palm Beach to Seattle??? and I moan and groan having to go down these steps to Homer... jumping jeez ~ inspirational

I have my blog roll update when someone updates their blog. If I'm off for a day or so... I can miss some posts and try to go back and see if I have... especially my favorites... ;)

I'll be leaving unlimited wifi Friday to go back traveling in Homer so my commenting will be sporadic again ... sure has been fun these past two months being able to comment and play with other bloggers! hard to do that on that little ol iPhone screen.

Trying to decide whether to see spring in the Smokey Mountains or stay in Arkansas and watch the daffodils and azaleas and dogwoods.... BIG decision... ain't it grand!

I did a double take when you wrote the biker was going from Florida to Seattle. That's a long way for anyone. The gull on the beach with his feathers blowing in the wind is superb. I could just feel the cold wind! Beautiful sunset picture - as many as I've seen in my lifetime I am still in awe, sort of like seeing a deer. They just make you stop and admire them and give thanks for the opportunity to see them.